b MR. GAGE'S ADDRESS. 



improvements already made ; upon the good influen- 

 ces to be anticipated from the diffusion of informa- 

 tion. 



That agricuhure, which, by high authority, has 

 been denominated less an art, than an admirable com- 

 bination of the most important arts, has not received 

 that degree of attention, amongst us, to which it is 

 eminently entitled, is an assertion too obviously true 

 to need the aid of argument in its support. 



To promote the welfare of the great mass of the 

 community, the proper degree of attention must be 

 devoted to the various occupations, the results of 

 which are necessary to the general comfort and sub- 

 sistence. No people can depart, materially, for any 

 length of time, from such a principle with impunity. 

 When this balance is disturbed, by a secession of 

 large numbers from one important pursuit to crowd 

 into another, pubhc as well as individual suffering 

 must, ere long, ensue. And, especially, must such be 

 the case, when the occupation from v/hich the seces- 

 sion is made is, hke agriculture, the great source of 

 production — is to the nation at large, what the circu- 

 lation of the blood is to the animal body. That such 

 has, to some extent, been the tendency of late years, 

 in New England, the careful observer must have seen. 

 Perhaps this tendency is to be ascribed, in part, to 

 an idea, which has prevailed extensively, to wit ; that 

 agriculture is less respectable, as a permanent pursuit, 

 than other avocations. This idea is composed of un- 

 mixed error. There is no employment of man more 

 important ; and when conducted with appropriate in- 

 telligence, none more honorable than this. The same 



